Was Trump right about the Kennedy Center?: Part of its roof collapses amid controversy over its renovation

A section of the ceiling inside the Kennedy Center's Grand Foyer collapsed late Friday night as heavy rains pounded the Washington, D.C., area, prompting authorities to temporarily close the main building. Kennedy Center spokesperson Roma Daravi stated that the collapse highlights the need for major improvements to the facilities, noting that the ceiling failure "is due to decades of neglect and deferred maintenance by the previous administration."

The Grand Foyer serves as a spacious hallway connecting several of the complex's main venues, including the Opera House, the Concert Hall and the Eisenhower Theater. The collapse occurred amid a broader dispute over the future of the Kennedy Center and the plans backed by the board of directors appointed by President Donald Trump. The prominent cultural center reported in a statement that no one was injured in the incident and posted several images showing fragments of the ceiling and dust scattered across the red carpet in the lobby.

The Department of Justice has defended the need for extensive repairs, pointing to deterioration in various parts of the facility, including water damage and rusting of the structural steel. The Trump administration has also warned that the Kennedy Center could be demolished if a court prevents the facility from closing to carry out the planned repairs. In documents filed with the courts, administration officials have repeatedly described the building's condition as "dilapidated."

In another statement, Daravi expressed his support for Trump and the board of directors' renovation plan, stating: "There is no legitimate reason to further halt the renovations. The longer the delay, the worse the infrastructure gets." She also lashed out at the press for failing to report on the incident, stating: "The Kennedy Center ceiling collapsed, yet the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Atlantic, Reuters, AP, and USA Today— the list goes on — are nowhere to be found. Absolutely insane lack of journalistic integrity… the mainstream media are ignoring this breaking news bc it doesn’t fit their biased agenda that everything is fine & dandy at TKC. The reality is, the place is falling apart and Donald Trump wants to fix it."